शैली (shailii)

noun A feminine noun meaning 'style' or 'manner' -- how something is done, written, or expressed, from writing style to architectural style to a person's personal manner.
Sense 1 : style (of writing, art, expression)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: अंदाज़ (andaaz), ढंग (dhang)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will meet this word constantly in discussions of literature and art: गद्य शैली (gady shailii, 'prose style'), स्थापत्य शैली (sthaapaty shailii, 'architectural style'), मुगल शैली (mugal shailii, 'Mughal style'). It has a slightly more formal, considered feel than everyday ढंग (dhang), which is why you hear it often in art criticism, school essays, and journalism.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use अंदाज़ (andaaz) and शैली (shailii) as if fully interchangeable, but शैली (shailii) leans toward a recognized, describable style (a literary style, an architectural style, a school of art) while अंदाज़ (andaaz) leans toward personal flair or attitude in how someone does something.
Sample Sentences:
इस लेखक की शैली बहुत सरल है। This writer's style is very simple.
(is lekhak kii shailii bahut saral hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह इमारत मुगल शैली में बनी थी। This building was constructed in the Mughal style.
(yah imaarat mugal shailii men banii thii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
उनकी गद्य शैली पर टैगोर का गहरा प्रभाव है। Tagore's influence runs deep in his prose style.
(unkii gady shailii par taigor kaa gahraa prabhaav hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम अपनी शैली बदलने की कोशिश करोगे? Will you try to change your style?
(kyaa tum apnii shailii badalne kii koshish karoge?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
काश उसकी शैली में इतनी जटिलता न होती। If only her style did not have so much complexity.
(kaash uskii shailii men itnii jatiltaa n hotii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अपनी शैली में थोड़ी विविधता लाओ। Bring a little variety into your style.
(apnii shailii men thodii vividhtaa laao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
समीक्षक चाहते हैं कि हर कलाकार की अपनी शैली हो। Critics want every artist to have their own style.
(samiikshak chaahte hain ki har kalaakaar kii apnii shailii ho।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
स्थापत्य शैली के अध्ययन से मुझे इतिहास समझने में मदद मिली। The study of architectural style helped me understand history.
(sthaapaty shailii ke adhyyan se mujhe itihaas samajhne men madad milii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उसकी चित्रकारी की शैली धीरे-धीरे विकसित होती रही है। Her painting style has been gradually developing.
(uskii chitrkaarii kii shailii dhiire-dhiire viksit hotii rahii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
निबंध की शैली परीक्षा में अंक दिलाती है। The style of the essay earns marks in the exam.
(nibandh kii shailii pariikshaa men ank dilaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : manner, way of doing something
noun, feminine
Synonyms: तरीका (tariikaa), ढंग (dhang)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Here शैली (shailii) shifts from the artistic sense to describe someone's characteristic way of doing things, like बोलने की शैली (bolne kii shailii, 'manner of speaking') or जीने की शैली (jiine kii shailii, 'lifestyle, way of living'). Both senses share the same root idea of a recognizable, consistent pattern -- the difference is just whether you are talking about art or everyday behavior.
Sample Sentences:
उसके बोलने की शैली बहुत अलग है। His manner of speaking is very different.
(uske bolne kii shailii bahut alag hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हर किसी की जीने की अपनी शैली होती है। Everyone has their own way of living.
(har kisii kii jiine kii apnii shailii hotii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मुझे उसके काम करने की शैली पसंद नहीं आई। I did not like his way of working.
(mujhe uske kaam karne kii shailii pasand nahiin aaii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम अपनी बात करने की शैली बदल लो, तो लोग तुम्हें ज़्यादा गंभीरता से लेंगे। If you change your manner of talking, people will take you more seriously.
(agar tum apnii baat karne kii shailii badal lo, to log tumhen zyaadaa gambhiirtaa se lenge।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
काश मैं भी उसकी तरह आराम से जीने की शैली अपना पाता। If only I too could adopt such a relaxed way of living, like him.
(kaash main bhii uskii tarah aaraam se jiine kii shailii apnaa paataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अपनी काम करने की शैली सुधारो, वरना बॉस नाराज़ हो जाएगा। Improve your way of working, or the boss will get upset.
(apnii kaam karne kii shailii sudhaaro, varnaa bos naaraaz ho jaaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
कंपनी में हर मैनेजर के काम करने की शैली अलग होती है, इसलिए नए कर्मचारियों को हर बार ढलना पड़ता है। In the company, every manager has a different way of working, so new employees have to adjust every time.
(kampnii men har mainejar ke kaam karne kii shailii alag hotii hai, islie nae karmchaariyon ko har baar dhalnaa padtaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसकी जीवन जीने की शैली को देखकर लगता है कि उसने बहुत कुछ अनुभव किया है। Looking at his way of living life, it seems he has experienced a great deal.
(uskii jiivan jiine kii shailii ko dekhkar lagtaa hai ki usne bahut kuchh anubhav kiyaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या हो अगर मैनेजमेंट की यह शैली सारी कंपनियों में अपनाई जाए? What would happen if this style of management were adopted in all companies?
(kyaa ho agar mainejment kii yah shailii saarii kampniyon men apnaaii jaae?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
उसकी सिखाने की शैली इतनी सरल है कि हर बच्चा आसानी से समझ जाता है। Her way of teaching is so simple that every child understands easily.
(uskii sikhaane kii shailii itnii saral hai ki har bachchaa aasaanii se samajh jaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): शैली (shailii)
(sg.f.oblique): शैली (shailii)
(pl.f.direct): शैलियाँ (shailiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): शैलियों (shailiyon)